Several synthetic routes to the mitomycins are being developed. One method uses amino quinones missing the 1-9 bond of the natural product as starting materials. A second approach begins with arylpyrrolidones missing the 4-4a bond. Another program involves the construction of the rifamycin chromophore. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: Electrophilic Substitution of 1,8-Di-t-butylnaphthalenes, K.J. Falci, R.W. Franck, and E. Soykhan, J. Org. Chem., 40, 2547 (1975). Peri Interactions in the 1,3,6,8-Tetra-tert-butyl and 1,3,8-Tri-tert-butyl-naphthalene Anions. An Electron Spin Resonance Study, I.B. Goldberg, H.R. Crowe and R.W. Franck, J. Phys. Chem., 79, 1740 (1975).